The Columbus Crew makes its inaugural trip to BC Place in the team’s second game of the season when the Black & Gold travel to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET. FOX Sports Ohio is set to televise the game regionally, with Dwight Burgess and Duncan Oughton on the call. Neil Sika is calling the action for 610 AM WTVN, with Carlos Cordovoa behind the microphone for La Mega 103.1 FM.
Saturday’s road contest marks the first time since 2006 that the Crew opens an MLS season with back-to-back road games. The Black & Gold are seeking consecutive road wins, a feat last accomplished in the 2011 campaign.
Taking its 10th overall trip to Canada for an MLS regular season match since 2007, the Crew enters Saturday riding a 3-1-5 record north of the border, having secured points in eight of the team’s last nine Canadian-hosted matches.
This weekend’s match is the first and only meeting between the Crew and Whitecaps FC this season. The Crew holds a slight 2-1-0 lead in the all-time regular season series between the two teams that began in 2011. Columbus took both meetings in Vancouver’s first season in the League, but fell 1-0 to Whitecaps FC in the only meeting last season, an April 28, 2012 tilt at Crew Stadium. The Crew has never played at BC Place before, having bested the Whitecaps 1-0 at Empire Field on July 6, 2011 in the club’s last trip to Vancouver.
The Crew opened the 2013 season with a commanding 3-0 win against Chivas USA in Carson, Calif on March 2. Last year’s pair of midseason acquisitions, Frederico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta, provided ample support in the scoring line as the two entered their first full season together. Higuain – fresh off of 2012 Newcomer of the Year honors – notched his first tally of the campaign with a curling shot from distance and opened the Crew scoring in the 51st minute on a pass from last year’s co-assist leader, Arrieta.
Crew ‘keeper Andy Gruenebaum only had to make two stops in his first start of the season, but his denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity in the 27th minute helped preserve the shutout and give Gruenebaum his 15th career clean sheet. Joining the 30-year-old netminder on Saturday were five fresh faces in the Crew lineup, as Agustin Viana, Glauber and 2013 SuperDraft pick Ryan Finley made their MLS and Crew debuts, while Tyson Wahl and Dominic Oduro also made their first appearances for the club. Former Chicago striker Oduro added a 94th minute insurance goal for the Black & Gold.
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